1slot-4

Colorado adds record insurance coverage for Sanders and Hunter before Alamo Bowl1slot-4 。

NoneKara Del Toro Poses in White Bikini on Dominican Republic VacationCarnage In Kurram And The Writing On The Wall

Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death rowMexico shares higher at close of trade; S&P/BMV IPC up 0.52%

Cox Communications has found a new executive to serve its San Diego market. The company announced Dec. 12 that Chantelle Hawken will assume the position of Market Vice President for Cox in San Diego, succeeding Ingo Hentschel, who announced his retirement in November. “Chanelle brings decades of experience in the public and private sectors to this role and she’s built strong ties in the community,” said Sam Attisha, Cox senior vice president and regional manager. “We’re grateful to Ingo for all he’s done for our customers and community in his 30-plus year career at Cox, and we’re excited to have Chanelle serve as the new market vice president.” Hawken previously served as Cox’s West Region vice president of government and public affairs. She previously served as vice president of government and public affairs for California for seven years, and as director of government and regulatory affairs. Before joining Cox in 2015, Hawken held the role of vice president of public policy for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. She also worked in government and media relations with the San Diego Regional Airport Authority and served on the staff of Rep. Scott Peters. “Having proudly called San Diego home for more than 20 years, I’m excited to take on this new role and work with elected officials and our partners in the business, education and nonprofit communities to bring connectivity to residential and business customers throughout our region,” Hawken said. Hawken has 20 years of experience serving on civic and nonprofit boards across the county. She is on the board of directors of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, serving as immediate past chair. She is also a past board member of LEAD San Diego and the Building Industry Association of San Diego and sits on the executive board of CalBroadband. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC San Diego and a law degree from the University of San Diego. She is a member of the California State Bar and completed an executive education program through Harvard Business School in 2022.What do Reviews of Real Mitolyn Users Say About Purple Peel Exploit for Weight Loss?

The US House and Senate are unlikely to pass federal legislation on the use of AI in business, so users should focus their attention on a new NIST framework in lieu of state-level law, according to Workday's veep for corporate affairs. Chandler Morse, a former chief of staff to Republican Senator Jeff Flake, told The Register that while the Republicans have won the House and the Senate, margins remained close in both, making the chances of passing federal legislation governing the use of AI during current presidential tenure unlikely. "In all honesty, I don't think anything's going to happen in the US, Congress or federal legislation, but what is happening is a tremendous amount of activity at the state level," the SaaS enterprise application vendor policy expert said. In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Bill 1047, arguing it failed to take the right approach to ensuring or requiring AI safety. But he left the door open for the US state's lawmakers to propose a better bill for governing AI safety. An alternative California bill addressing automated decision making (AB 2930) is also currently inactive. Although Workday initially supported the bill, it later challenged the details on accountability for how users introduced products and withdrew its support, Morse said. Nonetheless, California was likely to "take another run at it," as would New York, while Connecticut and Colorado were also proposing legislation and Texas was "in the game," he said. In the meantime, businesses would be wise to look at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology AI Risk Management Framework, which it released in July. NIST developed a voluntary framework to "better manage risks to individuals, organizations, and society associated with AI." Since the EU has already introduced its AI Act , the NIST framework offers another set of standards to guide businesses looking to implement AI while legislation is developed, Morse said. "Everyone looks at Congress and says, 'You should do something.' We don't think Congress is going to act, and there should be something against which the US can harmonize with Europe. The quickest way we thought that could happen was to ask the NIST to do a framework. They had completed the Cyber Framework and had just finished the privacy framework. We actually got Congress to ask them to do it, and they are now the most advanced component [in US AI policy], although it is voluntary," he said. "We're probably, like, halfway through the first period. It's early days. We know where we want to go, but it's also unlikely that it gets there without engagement. We are actively asking everyone to have an opinion, and get engaged. Where this all lands is going to direct the where AI goes," he said. In November, Joel Meyer, Domino Data Lab public sector president and former Homeland Security strategic initiatives deputy assistant secretary, told The Register that while president-elect Donald Trump was likely to ditch much of the work done by the outgoing Biden administration around AI when he comes into office, the AI Safety Institute housed within NIST might survive. Meyer said while any of Biden's executive actions could be fair game for the Trump administration to scrap in the name of political point scoring, such established offices are unlikely to vanish entirely. ®By LOLITA C. BALDOR WASHINGTON (AP) — Reported sexual assaults at the U.S. military service academies dropped in 2024 for the second year in a row, according to new Pentagon data, marking a sharp turnaround from an alarming surge two years ago that triggered sweeping reviews and an overhaul in leadership . The decline in reports was mirrored by a similar decrease in the total number of students who said in an anonymous survey that they experienced some type of unwanted sexual contact during the school year that ended in the spring. Defense officials, however, warned on Thursday that the numbers are still high, and there is still a lot of work to be done. According to the survey, which is done every other year, about 13% of female students said they experienced unwanted sexual contact in the 2024 school year, compared with more than 21% in 2022. For men, the rate decreased from 4.4% to 3.6%. The reported assaults reflect familiar trends. Most of the alleged offenders are also academy students and are often known to the victim. They often happen after duty hours or on weekends and holidays. Drinking has long been a consistent factor. Beth Foster, executive director of the Pentagon’s force resiliency office, called the new numbers encouraging. But she added, “the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment is still far too high. What this data tells us is that this is a difficult problem for all, but it is not an impossible problem to solve.” A vast majority of students — 88% — responded to the survey. Defense officials said they are still concerned that, based on the survey, an estimated 783 students experienced unwanted sexual contact but just a small percentage reported it. The U.S. military and defense leaders have pushed improvements in programs, leadership training and staffing to encourage more victims to report so they can receive help and perpetrators can be punished. Defense officials released preliminary data much earlier than usual this year, and said the full report will go out in February. They said the early release was done to provide better information to school leaders who are implementing changes. However, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will leave in January when President-elect Donald Trump takes office, and new leadership will take over the Pentagon. Trump and his pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth , have vowed to eliminate “woke” policies fostering diversity and equity, and it’s not clear how any of that may impact sexual assault prevention efforts. Hegseth himself has been accused of sexual assault , which he denies, although he acknowledges making a settlement payment to the woman. Foster and others said Austin’s pressure on academy leaders to confront the problem led to a number of changes in how the schools foster better leaders and focus more stridently on sexual assault prevention. Related Articles National News | American released from Syrian prison is flown out of the country, a US official says National News | Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds National News | How to protect your communications through encryption National News | Companies tighten security after a health care CEO’s killing leads to a surge of threats National News | Unidentified drones spotted flying at locations across NYC, including LaGuardia Airport The total number of reported sexual assaults at the academies is divided in an often complex and confusing way. Academy and defense officials focus on the number of assaults reported by cadets and midshipmen during their school year. But students sometimes file reports after they leave the academies, describing incidents that happened when they were in school. The total is 106 for the 2024 school year, a sharp drop from 137 last year and 170 in 2022. The totals also decreased at each individual academy. Students at the U.S. Naval Academy reported 47 assaults, a slight dip from 49 the previous year. The other two saw significant decreases: Students at the Air Force Academy in Colorado reported 34, compared with 45 last year, and those at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York reported 25, compared with 43. In addition, eight students reported assaults last year that happened to them before they became students. The military services and the academies have struggled for years to combat sexual assault and harassment, with myriad prevention, education and treatment programs. But despite reams of research, and expanded programs, the numbers have grown. A renewed emphasis on it in the past several years has led to improvements and staff increases, although service members still complain that the videos and other programs are often outdated and don’t resonate as well with young troops.

Coming off what was likely a week's worth of intense practices, No. 10 Kansas returns home for a matchup with North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon in Lawrence, Kan. The Jayhawks (7-2) lost back-to-back games versus unranked opponents, the first time in school history that they have done that while ranked No. 1. Now they have to regroup to face the Wolfpack (7-3). Kansas lost its first two games of the season emphatically: 76-63 at Creighton on Dec. 4 and 76-67 at Missouri last Sunday. Coach Bill Self, who has only lost three straight games four times in his 21-year career at Kansas, was pretty succinct about his team's play following the loss to Missouri. "I think it was probably a combination of them being good and us not being good," he said. "I don't know that I could give them 100 percent credit, but that's what happens in sports. When the other team is doing things to hurt you, and you don't attack it well, they guard you the same way. "A lot of times you just roll it straight because of just not being as prepared or ready. I think it was a combination of both. I would err on the side of giving them more credit, because if I just say we sucked, that would take credit from them. We did suck, but it was in large part them." The Jayhawks still have a balanced and experienced attack, led by seniors Hunter Dickinson (15.0 points per game), Zeke Mayo (10.9), Dajuan Harris Jr. (10.7) and KJ Adams Jr. (9.8). Their biggest problem against Missouri was the 22 turnovers. "It's been a crap week for all of us," Self said on his weekly radio show Tuesday. "But hopefully we get an opportunity to bounce back. "I'm not going to make any excuses. If you don't perform the way we didn't perform, there certainly can be some valuable things to learn from that hopefully will give us a chance to win the war and not just the battle." NC State has won back-to-back games, including the ACC opener against Florida State on Dec. 7. In their last game, the Wolfpack handled Coppin State 66-56 on Tuesday. That's not to say NC State coach Kevin Keatts was impressed. "I thought we did a terrible job at the end of shot clocks when they were going to take a bunch of bad shots but we fouled them," Keatts said. "That being said, you can learn a lot from a win instead of a loss. "We compete hard every day, and our energy is always high. With this group, I'm trying to get everyone to be consistent." The Wolfpack has a trio of double-digit scorers, led by Marcus Hill (13.0 ppg). Jayden Taylor adds 12.5 and Dontrez Styles chips in 10.6. Ben Middlebrooks (9.2) and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (8.7) round out the top five. Huntley-Hatfield (5.6 rebounds per game) and Styles (4.6) also lead a balanced rebounding attack. The Jayhawks have won 12 straight games in the series with North Carolina State. --Field Level MediaThe Broncos still control their playoff destiny after a deflating loss. However, their path to clinching a spot goes through two more elite quarterbacks in Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes. A victory over the Bengals on Saturday or the Chiefs in Week 18 sends the Broncos to their first NFL postseason since 2015. How likely is that outcome? Denver’s playoff odds, per NFL.com , dropped from 91% before the Chargers defeat to 76% entering Week 17. The Broncos (9-6) also received zero help Sunday from their AFC playoff-hopeful counterparts. —The Dolphins (7-8) beat the 49ers, 29-17 —The Bengals (7-8) topped the Browns, 24-6 —The Colts (7-8) escaped the Titans, 38-30 All three teams and Denver remain in contention for the No. 7 playoff seed. The Chargers (9-6) own a tiebreaker over Denver after they swept the Broncos this season. Los Angeles also closes the regular season against AFC bottom dwellers New England and Las Vegas. “Each week we play there’s always pressure. I guarantee you none of our players said there’s going to be more pressure,” coach Sean Payton said on his Monday teleconference call with local media. “There’s going to be a sense of urgency always. There’s a lot of different scenarios. I think the focal point always is on the game you’re playing. That’s the one thing that you can control. I look forward to having a good week. ... There will be a number of things you learn from this game — and then you move on.” Woody Paige: Many stockings hung with care; will Broncos get a lump of coal? Now, the surest Broncos path to clinching is a Week 17 road victory over the Bengals. But Cincinnati is currently a 3-point betting favorite ( per FanDuel ). The Bengals enter with three straight victories. Quarterback Joe Burrow set an NFL record last week with seven consecutive games throwing for at least 250 yards and three touchdowns. That breaks a 2007 mark set by ex-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during their historic 16-0 undefeated regular season. Meanwhile, the Broncos have allowed 30-plus points twice over their last three outings. Their offense has still not produced a 100-yard rusher in a game. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has masked some of those issues with multiple touchdown passes in four of his last five starts. Their opportunistic defense has also registered 12 turnovers over that span. But the margin for error keeps shrinking with playoff football on the horizon. “The good thing is my role is going to be pretty simple because everybody in that locker room wants to already play next week,” Nix told reporters on Thursday at SoFi Stadium after the Chargers loss. “I think at this point, we're all competitively frustrated and I think we're excited for this opportunity.”

RIYADH: As part of efforts to develop Saudi Arabia’s museum sector and enhance the cultural and social roles of museums, the Museums Commission recently hosted an open meeting titled “Museums and Community Engagement: How Can a Museum Become a Community Hub?” Moderated by Eman Zidan, director of the Red Sea Museum, the event featured Noha Al-Kadhi, director of programs at the Museums Commission; Hassa Al-Sudairy, senior manager of cultural programs at the Jeddah Historic District Program; and Maria Alam, director of learning and research at Hayy Jameel. The discussion explored the role of museums in fostering community engagement, with speakers emphasizing the need to continuously refresh programs and activities to attract visitors and offer enjoyable experiences for all age groups. Drawing from the commission’s experience, Al-Kadhi underscored the importance of understanding audience and community needs to create museum narratives and programs that resonate with diverse visitors. She highlighted the value of involving schools and students to build strong connections between younger generations and museums, suggesting that children and youth could become “museum ambassadors” if they enjoy their visits. Al-Sudairy shared insights from the Jeddah Historic District Program on engaging the local community in heritage preservation through targeted awareness and educational initiatives. She cited successful programs involving children and students, such as workshops where participants restored heritage houses using miniature 3D models — activities that deepen their understanding of and connection to heritage. Alam emphasized the importance of creating interactive programs for children and families to strengthen connections between museums and the community. She highlighted Hayy Jameel’s initiative of engaging the local community in decorating the neighborhood facade, fostering interaction between art, the museum, and the public. This, she said, enhances visitors’ experiences and encourages repeat visits. The speakers also discussed the role of technology in enriching visitor experiences and designing engaging programs and exhibitions. Al-Kadhi highlighted technology as a powerful tool for providing innovative experiences while underlining the importance of balancing modern technology with the preservation of authentic heritage. Alam added that blending modern media with heritage enhances museums’ appeal and delivers educational and experiential value. Addressing challenges and opportunities in the museum sector, Al-Sudairy drew from the program’s experience to discuss the complexities of preserving heritage buildings through meticulous restoration processes that meet UNESCO and Ministry of Culture standards. She commended the local community’s support in advancing these initiatives. The speakers stressed the importance of transforming museums into vibrant community hubs. They highlighted the need for interactive spaces that meet societal needs and encourage active participation, moving beyond the traditional role of merely displaying artifacts and decribing their histories.

Alarm grew in France on Friday over the fate of a prominent French-Algerian novelist detained in the country of his birth, with his publisher urging his immediate release and President Emmanuel Macron closely following the case. Boualem Sansal, a major figure in francophone modern literature, is known for his strong stances against both authoritarianism and Islamism as well as being a forthright campaigner on freedom of expression issues. His detention by Algeria comes against a background of tensions between France and its former colony which have also appear to have spread to the literary world. The 75-year-old writer, granted French nationality this year, was on Saturday arrested at Algiers airport after returning from France, according to several media reports including the Marianne weekly. The Gallimard publishing house, which has published his work for a quarter of a century, in a statement expressed "its very deep concern following the arrest of the writer by the Algerian security services", calling for his "immediate release". There has been no confirmation from the Algerian authorities of his arrest and no other details about his situation. Macron is "very concerned by the disappearance" of Sansal, said a French presidential official, asking not to be named. "State services are mobilised to clarify his situation," the official said, adding that "the president expresses his unwavering attachment to the freedom of a great writer and intellectual." A relative latecomer to writing, Sansal turned to novels in 1999 and has tackled subjects including the horrific 1990s civil war between authorities and Islamists. His books are not banned in Algeria but he is a controversial figure, particularly since making a visit to Israel in 2014. Sansal's hatred of Islamism has not been confined to Algeria and he has also warned of a creeping Islamisation in France, a stance that has made him a favoured author of prominent figures on the right and far-right. Prominent politicians from this side of the political spectrum rushed to echo Macron's expression of concern for the writer. Centre-right former premier and candidate in 2027 presidential elections Edouard Philippe wrote on X that Sansal "embodies everything we cherish: the call for reason, freedom and humanism against censorship, corruption and Islamism." Far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen, another possible 2027 contender, said: "This freedom fighter and courageous opponent of Islamism has reportedly been arrested by the Algerian regime. This is an unacceptable situation." In 2015, Sansal won the Grand Prix du Roman of the French Academy, the guardians of the French language, for his book "2084: The End of the World", a dystopian novel inspired by George Orwell's "Nineteen-Eighty Four" and set in an Islamist totalitarian world in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. His publisher said that Sansal's novels and essays "exposed the obscurantisms of all kinds which are tragically affecting the way of the world." The concerns about his reported arrest come as another prominent French-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud is under attack over his novel "Houris", which won France's top literary prize, the Goncourt. A woman has claimed the book was based on her story of surviving 1990s Islamist massacres and used without her consent. She alleged on Algerian television that Daoud used the story she confidentially recounted to a therapist -- who is now his wife -- during treatment. His publisher has denied the claims. The controversies are taking place in a tense diplomatic context between France and Algeria, after Macron renewed French support for Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara during a landmark visit to the kingdom last month. Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is de facto controlled for the most part by Morocco. But it is claimed by the Sahrawi separatists of the Polisario Front, who are demanding a self-determination referendum and are supported by Algiers. Daoud meanwhile has called for Sansal's release, writing in the right-wing Le Figaro: "I sincerely hope that my friend Boualem will return to us very soon", while expressing his bafflement in the face of the "imprudence" that Sansal allegedly showed in going to Algeria. dax-vl-sjw/givColorado adds record insurance coverage for Sanders and Hunter before Alamo BowlSave Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Back when he lived in Newtown, Alan Jones had a wall covered in photographs of himself with the Pick and Stick crew. There were football players, political allies, celebrities and billionaires; the “Moses of the airwaves” had cultivated a powerful fellowship over his first 20-odd years on air, and still had half his radio career to run. Yet even then, some in his orbit had misgivings about getting too close to Jones. “The last place you wanted to end up was on his wall,” said one. Being close to Jones was, as one former staffer put it, “an exhausting thing”. It was like being smiled upon by a capricious emperor. The anointed ones, who ranged from sports stars to musicians to prime ministers and premiers, were graced with favours and largesse. But they had to pay homage or risk it all. Jones’ warning that a failure to respond to a request would “be the end of our friendship”, was ominous indeed. This patronage was one of myriad ways Jones transformed himself from an everyday shock jock into The Man Who Ran Sydney. In the era when talkback was king and he had a 20 per cent audience share, he used his intellect, charisma and money to exploit the platform like no one else. “His power isn’t explained by the size of his audience,” says Chris Masters, author of Jonestown . “It’s explained more by how he used it as leverage to advocate for his own interests and the interests of his powerful mates.” For decades, power protected Jones. He bullied his staff, bulldozed elected officials, and was perceived to favour handsome young men. Few were game to challenge him. Those who did paid the price. Jones was a man “drunk on power”, said one former staffer, and he “did not know when to stop”. But his grip loosened as society changed and Jones refused to change with it, as advertisers became reluctant to align themselves with his increasingly fringe views, and as movements such as #MeToo put the anatomy of power under the microscope. Power protected Alan Jones, seen here departing after giving evidence during the inquiry into Cash for Comment. Credit: Brendan Esposito Last year, Jones faced his own reckoning. The Herald’s chief investigative reporter Kate McClymont revealed allegations that he had used his power for sexual gratification, by groping and indecently assaulting young men, including one of his producers, without their consent. One of the men, who has since died, alleged that he “forces himself on young men and uses his power in a predatory way”. Another man, an employee, says he was groped by Jones. “He knew I wasn’t gay so it was about power dynamics,” he said. Police investigated. This week, Jones was charged with 26 offences involving nine alleged victims. He says he is innocent. The charges are before the courts. Advertisement When one family contacted police a few years ago to raise allegations that Jones had indecently touched a relative, the officers were blunt. It would be the word of a social colossus against that of an ordinary person. Jones was not, the family recalled one of them saying, “Joe Blow from Bunnings”. Talkback radio used to be the only way ordinary people could speak directly to politicians, even if the microphone was controlled by the host. It was a win-win; listeners on so-called Struggle Street could get their problems addressed, politicians could talk directly to the people, and broadcasters were the powerbroker in the middle. “Forget the press gallery,” prime minister Paul Keating once said. “If you educate [broadcaster] John Laws, you educate Australia.” Articulate, relentless, merciless Jones outclassed all his rivals when he first fired up on air in 1985. He was an unlikely success story; a cross between a priest and a schoolmaster, who would sermonise and patronise in a voice so grating he was nicknamed The Parrot. Yet listeners loved it. “He played all the tabloid tricks,” says Masters. “Flatter your public, tell them ‘my listeners are my best researchers’. He ended up generating a kind of cultist following.” He slept three hours a day and seemed to devote the remaining 21 to work. He’d insist that his office reply to every letter. He’d often dictate them himself to his typist. In 1999, he wrote 3000 letters to government in eight months, the Herald learnt under freedom of information laws. Almost 140 of those were to the prime minister, premier, and a handful of ministers. He expected recipients to reply promptly. Failure to do so risked an on-air dressing down. Premiers and prime ministers would put a staff member in charge of responding within 24 hours. They were dubbed the Minister for Alan Jones. Alan Jones was a prolific correspondent with prime ministers, premiers and government ministers. Credit: Dallas Kilponen The line between policy and personal blurred. Once, he was pulled over by NSW Police highway patrol on a trip to Canberra and didn’t realise he was crossing two lanes of the Hume to get to the kerb. He was almost hit by a truck. The next day, he wrote to then-police minister Paul Whelan, attempting to get the “cowboy” officer sacked. “I’m sick and tired of defending the police force when it’s peopled by yahoos like this,” he wrote. Advertisement He would text politicians at all hours, furiously criticising their decisions and offering unsolicited advice about how those decisions would end in disaster. Once, he flamed a senior NSW minister for what he described as unforgivable ignorance. “Who the f--- do you think you are?” the radio broadcaster told the elected member of parliament. A response that pleased him could lead to benevolence. Another letter, obtained by The Guardian under a similar FOI request 20 years later, involved a back-and-forth with then-Coalition sports minister Stuart Ayres about a sailing issue. Jones approved of Ayres’ actions. “That’s why you are a very good minister,” he wrote. “Is everything OK in the electorate? Yell out if I can help. With best wishes, Alan.” Many argue Jones, himself a failed political candidate for the Liberal Party, was only able to hold so much power because politicians surrendered it to him. Yet those who resisted grovelling found themselves in a bind. “It wasn’t that the ministers lacked courage,” said one former senior NSW Coalition minister. “It’s that you couldn’t convince a cabinet or party room to stand up to him too.” Taking on Jones about one thing meant the broadcaster would attack everything else that minister tried to do. “It subverted your ability to do other things,” he said. “It wasn’t worth the fight.” When Coalition premier Mike Baird backflipped on his plan to shut down greyhound racing after a sustained campaign by Jones, he was photographed arriving at Jones’ apartment at Circular Quay for a dinner of humble pie to win back support. Jones told his listeners the next day that the government would receive “full marks” from him if it reversed the ban. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott with broadcaster Alan Jones after he addressed a rally in Canberra. Credit: Andrew Meares Jones would frequently shower praise on his long-time friend Tony Abbott: the broadcaster was one of two speakers at an event last year marking 10 years since Abbott became prime minister. When Abbott was in the top job, Jones would send him a weekly missive with about 30 dot points, offering advice, warnings, and tips on who was white-anting him, said one person close to him. Staff heard him dictate a sign-off: “Go for the jugular, Tony.” Abbott denies the story. “Mr Abbott ran his own political strategy and famously wrote his own speeches and personally signed off his own media releases,” said a spokesman. Politicians found their own ways of managing him. “There were certain techniques that worked with Alan, like going into the studio in person,” the former minister said. “It was harder for him to be mean to you if you were right in front of him. Colleagues used to say they would take a young male staffer with them [to put Jones in a good mood], like a burnt offering. Writing him a handwritten note; he’d write to you, and what I learnt was that you had to write back yourself, and give him answers to keep him [from speaking about the issue on radio].” Advertisement The aim was to keep their issue off-air, said the politician. Being lauded could be as dangerous as being rubbished. “If you got praised by him, it was probably because you leaked to him, so your colleagues would be suspicious – and generally rightly so. Alan never did anything without a reason.” Jones might have left politicians so intimidated that they couldn’t sleep before an interview, but no one was more attuned to the vagaries of his mood than those who worked for him. The former teacher and rugby union coach was an exacting boss. One producer remembers sitting in the car park before work in the wee hours of the morning, wondering if he could face it all again that day. “I don’t think he ever said hello to me in all the years I worked for him,” he said. “Every day started with incredible tension.” For their first six months, Jones would put a new producer to a kind of loyalty test involving verbal abuse and the rubbishing of their work. “It was routine humiliation,” said one. Once, when Jones was dissatisfied with the performance of his staff, he made them write to the finance department to say they didn’t deserve to be paid for their day’s work. Another time, Jones found some faxes that had not been replied to, and made staff cancel leave to write back. Alan Jones was a money spinner who called the shots at the stations that employed him. Credit: Nick Moir “The way he blew up at people was a craft,” said another former producer, who – like many people interviewed for this story – spoke on the condition of anonymity because he still feared Jones’ impact on his career. “He never swore, but it was an articulate spray that was like being lashed by lightning. It was personal, it was cruel, it was demeaning. But it wasn’t someone losing control. The sprays were directed at staff, at salespeople, at CEOs. There was no one at 2GB that Jones felt he couldn’t stand over.” Jones was the station’s money-spinner. “What he wanted, he got,” says Mike Carlton, who worked with Jones at 2UE before the breakfast presenter jumped ship to 2GB. “He would just send in his manager, ‘Alan wants this, Alan wants this done’, and management would cave because they were desperate to keep him on side.” Working for Jones was intense. Yet Jones kept staff loyal, partly with occasional explosions of generosity. A Christmas card with $500 inside. Tickets to Wimbledon. A lavish dinner. There was also the sense that, beyond the bullying, the program was doing some good. “A lot of the stuff he pointed out related to stupid government policy, and a lot of it ended up benefiting people who deserved a result,” said a former producer. “That’s where it gets a little bit tricky; without an aggressive champion, they would never have got the result they deserved.” Advertisement Many wondered what drove him so relentlessly. It wasn’t money for its own sake; those close to him estimate he has given away millions over the years. He would pay friends’ children’s school fees, give them money to buy their first property, cover their health bills. He still pays for the reunions of school football teams he coached in the 1960s. “He’d give it to people who were broke, who needed money for legal fees,” said one person who worked with Jones. He would also allow people to stay in his opulent homes, in Sydney, the Southern Highlands, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The guest list raised eyebrows; one former producer recalls dropping some briefs over and meeting the “procession of [male] athletes who would stay there”, he says. “Many of them were emotionally needy; quite a few had come from broken homes, and didn’t have supportive family relationships. There was a bit of a theme going through that. Part of it was he didn’t want to be alone.” Jones’ sexuality was scuttlebutt for decades, raised publicly only in double entendre. Jones never commented, not even after being arrested in a London public toilet – that was also a gay beat – for “outraging public decency” (he was cleared). He once told this masthead’s David Leser that he didn’t “believe people should be asked to [comment] in relation to their private lives”. But many, like Masters, believe Jones’ sexuality may be key to understanding his accumulation of power. He grew up in Queensland when homosexuality was illegal, and moved in worlds in which it was spurned, such as schoolboys’ boarding houses when he was a teacher, and rugby union when he was a coach. “There were good reasons for him to don the mask,” says Masters. “We’ve seen this in other powerful men from that era, the power base was built around them as a protective screen. It’s the manipulations – where to go, who you know, who can pull strings – that keeps you safe.” As his power grew, Jones became complacent. His staff and his acolytes were afraid to challenge him. He didn’t verify information he’d been given before presenting it on air, and got things wrong. The end began with his 2012 attacks on Julia Gillard – who stood opposite his good friend Abbott in the parliamentary chamber – when he said she should be tied in a chaff bag and dumped at sea. Within a week of The Sunday Telegraph reporting Jones’ comments to a Young Liberal dinner that Gillard’s father, who had passed away not long before, had “died of shame”, around 70 advertisers backed away from his show and Mercedes-Benz confiscated Jones’ $250,000 sponsored car. Jones apologising for his remarks about Julia Gillard's father dying of shame in 2012. Credit: Dean Sewell The editor who published The Sunday Telegraph ’s story, Neil Breen – who is now a television reporter for Nine, owner of this masthead – paid the price for challenging Jones. “From that day on, it always had an effect on my career,” he said. It angered some of Jones’ supporters at News Limited. It prompted Jones to run interference when Breen worked in radio. It disrupted relationships that still haven’t recovered. “You were just up against forces,” he said. “He was a significant foe.” Advertisement Jones’ final, self-inflicted blow came in 2019, when he told then-prime minister Scott Morrison to “shove a sock” down the throat of New Zealand’s then-prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. The condemnation was swift and significant, and advertisers – whose business covered his $4 million salary – fled. Jones was already on thin ice due to his alliances with fringe politicians such as then-MP Craig Kelly, and a mammoth defamation payout for blaming a family for the deadly Grantham floods. He resigned from 2GB in 2021. Without his platform, Jones’ power rapidly dwindled. Even if he had stayed on air, his influence may not have protected him from the indecent assault allegations. Over the past decade, abuse of power accusations have all but ended the careers of other once-untouchable men even if they are eventually cleared, like the late cardinal George Pell. The world has changed. Power is a less effective cocoon. While speaking up still requires enormous courage, victims are no longer stigmatised. Where allegations of predatory behaviour were once stifled, police now take so-called silent crimes seriously. Where stars were once allowed to behave as they wanted as long as they brought in money, companies must now actively protect their workers. Loading “There’s been a very important shift in how we operate as a society,” says academic and former journalist Catharine Lumby, who once had a piece critiquing Jones pulled when she wrote for The Bulletin , which was owned by Jones’ good friend Kerry Packer. “The avenues of survivors of assault and harassment are more educated; there’s been a sea change in attitudes.” Those who knew Jones say he would have stayed in front of a microphone until he died if he could have, holding on to the power that kept him safe and the busyness that kept him from introspection. The haunted, brilliant, flawed man “was scared of what came next”, says a former staffer. “He didn’t want any time to look in the mirror. He wanted to fill every day so there was no time for self-reflection.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter .

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP (RJLF) has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a coalition of manufacturers, businesses, affordable housing interests, and workers seeking to prevent enforcement of South Coast Air Quality Management District regulations that effectively ban certain gas appliances. The plaintiffs, representing thousands of California residents, businesses, and workers, include Rinnai America Corporation , Noritz America Corporation , National Association of Homebuilders , California Manufacturers & Technology Association , California Restaurant Association , California Hotel & Lodging Association , and California Apartment Association , all represented by RJLF and Sean Kneafsey of the Kneafsey Law Firm . Californians for Homeownership is represented by Matt Gelfand , Restaurant Law Center is represented by Angelo Amador , and the California State Pipe Trades Council by McCracken, Stemerman & Holsberry . The coalition's suit asserts that the District's zero-NOx emissions rule for certain appliances, which effectively bans those gas appliances, is preempted by the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) and should be blocked. The District's rule not only effectively mandates the use of electric appliances in new buildings but also forces costly retrofits to electric in existing buildings when appliances are replaced. This rule threatens the reliability and affordability of energy for millions of Californians, will impose enormous costs and disruption on businesses and workers, and will reduce the availability of affordable housing. Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that Berkeley, California's ban on gas piping in new buildings was preempted by EPCA ( California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley , 89 F.4th 1094 (9th Cir. 2024)) . The District's rule is legally indistinguishable, and the same result applies. "This case is pivotal to reinforcing the federal and state roles in setting national energy policy," said Sarah Jorgensen , lead counsel for the plaintiffs at RJLF. "The District's mandate for electric appliances in both new construction and forced retrofits not only jeopardizes our clients' work, business, and interests but also disregards established federal law. California must comply with the law." The case is Rinnai America Corp. et al. v. South Coast Air Quality Management District , No. 2:24-cv-10482 , in the United States District Court for the Central District of California . About Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP (RJLF) is a national trial firm that handles high-stakes energy, commercial, intellectual property, and white collar disputes. The firm is majority women-owned, reinventing the practice of law without the billable hour in favor of fee arrangements that align client interests. RJLF's attorneys are diverse, exceptionally credentialed, and passionate about trial advocacy. From offices in Silicon Valley, New York , Washington, D.C. , Austin , and Atlanta , the firm tries cases and argues appeals throughout the country. For more information, visit www.reichmanjorgensen.com . Contact Sarah Jorgensen sjorgensen@reichmanjorgensen.com (650) 623-1403 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reichman-jorgensen-lehman--feldberg-leads-suit-against-south-coast-air-quality-management-districts-effective-ban-on-certain-gas-appliances-302324441.html SOURCE Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP

Christmas Day 2024 falls on Monday, Dec. 25 , this year. The holiday, which is rooted in many Christian religious traditions, revolves around the birth of Jesus. It has also taken on cultural significance regardless of religion. Popular traditions include the tale of Santa Claus, exchanging gifts, Christmas tree decorating and attending church. The vast majority of stores and services are closed. Here is everything you need to know about what’s open and what’s closed on Christmas Day 2024 . Related: Is Dollar Tree open on Christmas? Dollar store hours for Dec. 25 & everything to know before you go Is Christmas a federal holiday? Christmas is a federal and state holiday. Christmas has been a federal holiday in the U.S. since 1870. It is the last federal holiday of the year. Is there mail delivery on Christmas Day 2024? Will the mail run? There will be no regular mail delivered on Christmas, nor will there be UPS or FedEx delivery (except FedEx Custom Critical and UPS Express Critical). Amazon delivery services will run as scheduled, and there are no expected delays related to the Thanksgiving holiday. However, the United States Postal Service website notes that Priority Mail Express mail will be delivered on Christmas Day. Is the post office open on Christmas Day 2024? United States Postal Service offices will be closed, though self-service kiosks are still available at some locations for drop-offs. Are banks open on Christmas Day 2024? No, the following banks are scheduled to be closed on Christmas Day: Bank of America Capital One Bank Chase Citibank PNC Bank Santander Bank TD Bank Truist Bank Wells Fargo Are the stock markets open on Christmas Day 2024? No, stock markets will be closed on Christmas Day. Nasdaq trading and bond markets will also be closed. What stores are open on Christmas Day 2024? Most major retail stores will be closed, including big-box retailers, such as Walmart , Target , Kohl’s and Costco . There are some convenience stores and pharmacies that will be open, including: 7-Eleven CVS Rite Aid QuickChek Walgreens Wawa To see a full list of store hours on Christmas Day, click here . Will grocery stores be open on Christmas Day 2024? Most supermarkets will be closed , but some are open with reduced hours, if you need to grab some holiday dinner ingredients. Shoppers should ultimately check with their local supermarket for specific information. The following major supermarkets will be open on Christmas Day: ACME (8 a.m. - 2 p.m.) Foodtown (8 a.m. - 2 p.m.) The following major supermarkets will be closed on Christmas Day: Aldi Costco Lidl Sam’s Club Shoprite Stew Leonard’s Stop & Shop Target Trader Joe’s Walmart Wegmans Whole Foods What restaurants are open on Christmas Day 2024? Is McDonald’s open? Is Dunkin’ open? It varies by establishment. Some restaurants may be closed, while some may be selling prepared, holiday meals to-go. Patrons should check with specific restaurants for information. The vast majority of local and chain restaurants are closed on Christmas Day to allow workers to spend time with family. But there are some limited options. Some McDonald’s locations will be open on Christmas Day. The fast-food chain only describes this as a “handful” of its restaurants and recommends checking its store locator for local hours. Some Dunkin’ spots may have limited hours, as well, and Dunkin’ recommends checking its store locator for hours. Some Starbucks shops will also be open. You can also try diner-style chains, like Denny’s and IHOP , and local New Jersey diners. You can find a list of 20 restaurants that will be open on Wednesday, Dec. 25 here . Are malls open on Christmas Day 2024? Most, if not all, malls and major shopping centers in New Jersey will be closed on Christmas Day. Are New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission locations open on Christmas Day 2024? All Motor Vehicle Commission offices will be closed. Additionally, all New Jersey state offices and courts are closed for the holiday. Online processing of some documents are available on Motor Vehicle Commission’s website . Does NJ Transit, PATH and SEPTA operate on a normal schedule? Most NJ Transit bus and light rail lines will operate on a Sunday , modified Sunday or a holiday schedule. Meanwhile, the rail service will operate on a weekend or holiday schedule. For NJ Transit, riders should use NJ Transit’s online trip planner to double-check arrival and departure times. SEPTA ’s Metro and bus routes will run on a Sunday schedule while its Regional Rail lines will operate on special Christmas schedules . PATH will operate on a modified Saturday schedule. When is the next federal holiday? The next federal holiday is New Year’s Day on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2025. For more information about the history of Christmas Day, check out the video below: Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com . Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips .

LOS ANGELES , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadiz, Inc. CDZI ("Cadiz," the "Company"), a California water solutions company, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared the following cash dividend on the Company's 8.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (the "Series A Preferred Stock"). Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will receive a cash dividend equal to $560.00 per whole share. Holders of depositary shares, each representing a 1/1000 fractional interest in a share of Series A Preferred Stock CDZIP , will receive a cash dividend equal to $0.56 per depositary share. The dividend will be paid on January 15, 2025 , to applicable holders of record as of the close of business on January 3, 2025 . About Cadiz, Inc. Founded in 1983, Cadiz, Inc. CDZI is a California water solutions company dedicated to providing access to clean, reliable and affordable water for people through a unique combination of water supply, storage, pipeline and treatment solutions. With 45,000 acres of land in California , 2.5 million acre-feet of water supply, 220 miles of pipeline assets and the most cost-effective water treatment filtration technology in the industry, Cadiz offers a full suite of solutions to address the impacts of climate change on clean water access. For more information, please visit https://www.cadizinc.com . Safe Harbor Statement This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "anticipates", "expect", "may", "plan", or "will". Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, projections, predictions, expectations, or beliefs about future events or results and are not statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the Company's expectations regarding payments of dividends in the future. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These and other risks are identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), including without limitation our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings subsequently made by the Company with the Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management's assumptions and estimates as of such date. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cadiz-inc-declares-quarterly-dividend-for-q4-2024-on-series-a-cumulative-perpetual-preferred-stock-302339009.html SOURCE Cadiz, Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Ganderbal, Dec 13: The Central University of Kashmir (CUK) held its 30th Executive Council (EC) meeting on Thursday at the Tulmulla Campus, under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Prof A Ravinder Nath. In his opening remarks, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ravinder Nath showcased the University’s progress on academic, research, and administrative excellence. He expressed gratitude towards the Council members for their active participation and valuable insights, emphasising their pivotal role in shaping the institution’s future. The Vice-Chancellor also welcomed the distinguished Council members, including the newly inducted members, Prof Sandhya Tiwari, Dean School of Languages and Prof Farooq Ahmad Mir, Dean School of Legal Studies, CUKashmir. The meeting was also attended by Prof Vandana Mishra, Centre of Comparative Politics & Political Theory, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi, Prof. Parikshat Singh Manhas, Chairman, JK BOSE, Prof Ajay Kumar Singh, Department of Commerce, School of Economics, University of Delhi, Dr Mriganka Sekhar Sarma, Deputy Secretary, UGC, Dr Rashmi Singh, Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education Department, J&K, Dr. Ravi Kumar Bharti, Additional Secretary, Higher Education Department, J&K, Prof Shahid Rasool, Dean Academic Affairs, and Prof M Afzal Zargar, Registrar (Secretary). About the academic advancements, the Council acknowledged the University’s proactive implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which earned it the prestigious designation as a hub university by the Ministry of Education (MoE) for NEP coordination among other universities. Approval was granted for comprehensive Institutional Development Plans in alignment with UGC guidelines and NEP objectives, focusing on academic, research, and outreach initiatives. CUK’s leadership in the Consortium of Higher Educational Institutions of North India (CHEINI) for sharing best practices was lauded, along with its nodal university status under the Bharatiya Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti for promoting Kashmiri language literature. To foster multidisciplinary education, the plan to establish departments of Psychology, Vocational Studies, and Liberal Arts were approved, reflecting the University’s commitment to multidisciplinary education and addressing contemporary academic demands. The Council commended the successful and efficient completion of the recruitment process under the Mission Recruitment mode, with special provisions to ensure a seamless joining experience for outstation candidates. Rolling advertisements focusing on gender equity were also approved to continue expanding the University’s talent pool. A new policy was approved to enhance the research environment, enabling Postdoctoral Fellows, including Ramalingam Ramanuja and Inspire Fellows, to contribute beyond their fellowship terms, fostering innovation and academic growth. Infrastructure and Transparency: The members were informed about the submission of a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Master Plan Phase-I to the Ministry of Education, with fund approvals anticipated soon. The University’s exemplary performance in RTI transparency audits was also recognised. The Council approved several critical measures, including appointment of key non-teaching positions like Finance Officer and Librarian, adopting UGC’s latest regulations, and implementing employee-centric policies to boost institutional efficiency. The meeting concluded with the Council expressing its appreciation for the visionary leadership of Vice-Chancellor Prof Ravinder Nath and the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders.AUSTIN, Texas — Texas won the Big 12 title in 2023 on its way out the door to the Southeastern Conference. It was still swinging open when Arizona State waltzed in and won the league title in its debut season. And now the old Big 12 champs meet the new Big 12 champs on the path toward a potential national title. The fifth-seeded Longhorns and fourth-seeded Sun Devils play News Years Day in the Peach Bowl in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. Both had their doubters they could get here. Texas (12-2) still had to prove is was “ready” for the SEC. Arizona State (11-2) was picked to finish last in the Big 12. But the Sun Devils quickly started winning and having fun in some new road environments in college towns smaller than some of their stops in the more cosmopolitan old Pac-12. All-American running back Cam Skattebo led the barnstorming tour. “We were not used to getting tortillas thrown at us at Texas Tech. You’re not used to some of these environments,” Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said Monday. “When you’re in the Pac-12, you’re playing in Seattle, you’re playing in L.A., you’re playing in Salt Lake City. We got to face a lot more small college town football with really, really great environments. ... It was definitely fun to join a new league,” Dillingham said. And Dillingham laid down some Texas roots. The Sun Devils are recruiting Texas players out of high school, and the current roster has six transfers who started their college careers in burnt orange in Austin. “The guys we’ve gotten from Texas and coach (Steve Sarkisian’s) program have been unbelievable,” Dillingham said. “We know what we’re getting when we’re getting a guy from that program, and that’s a guy who has worked really hard, competed and been pushed. Those are the things that we like to bring in.” Safety Xavion Alford was named All-Big 12. Defensive end Prince Dorbah is another Sun Devils starter. Defensive lineman Zac Swanson, who has two sacks this season, is another former Longhorn who said he relished a chance to beat his former team. Recruited by Texas out of Phoenix, Swanson was a reserve in 2022 and 2023 behind future NFL draft picks T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy. “That’s a team who kicked me out and said I’d never I was never going to be good enough to play there,” Swanson said last week. “That’s something that has been on my agenda for a while.” Dillingham joked he’d like to get more Texas transfers this week. Sarkisian simply noted that he wished he’d signed Skattebo, a Californian who transferred from Sacramento State after the 2022 season. “I was unaware, so kudos to them. They found him, he’s a heckuva player,” said Sarkisian, who also is a California native. Sarkisian said he was impressed by the Sun Devil’s first-year success in the Big 12. “We were in that Big 12, what, for 27 years? We won four. This is their first year in and they won a Big 12 Championship. It’s a really hard thing to do,” Sarkisian said. “They’re playing with a ton of confidence right now. The last two months, I think they’re playing as good a football as anybody in the country.” Despite wining that last Big 12 title and a playoff appearance in 2023, Texas still faced skeptics that the Longhorns would take their lumps in the SEC this year. Texas was more than ready for the league and the Longhorns made it to the SEC championship game. Their only two losses have been to Georgia, the No. 2 seed in the playoff. Sarkisian still remembers his 5-7 Texas debut in 2021. The program wasn’t ready for the SEC and the playoff back then, but it certainly is now. Texas is the only one of last year’s four playoff teams to make the expanded 12-team field this year. “There’s a lot to be proud of, but mostly I’m proud of our veterans, our leaders, our seniors, because those guys went from 5-7 in year one, they went through 8-5 in year two, and they didn’t jump ship. They hung in there with us. They believed in what they were doing,” Sarkisian said. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

LOS ANGELES (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning to make a $1 million personal donation to President-Elect Donald Trump's inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the move on Friday. The announcement comes one day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it donated $1 million to the same fund. Amazon also said it plans to donate $1 million. “President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead," Altman said in a statement. Altman, who is in a legal dispute with rival Elon Musk, has said he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO's influence in the incoming administration. Trump is putting Musk, the world’s richest man, and Vivek Ramaswamy , an entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, in charge of the new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which is an outside advisory committee that will work with people inside the government to reduce spending and regulations. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging that the maker of ChatGPT betrayed its founding aims of benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk recently escalated the lawsuit by asking a federal judge to stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. —— The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives. Sarah Parvini, The Associated PressCustomers Bancorp, Inc. Stockholder Notice: Shareholder Rights Law Firm Robbins LLP Reminds ...